K’Haln Tribes
The largest of the tribal groups of nomadic horse riders on the Sea of Grass, the K’Haln range from Lake Hargos and the lands near High Karst all the way to the northern verges of the Vast Desert.
More so than their Lundhargo and Mongat cousins, the K’Haln recall their origins across the Stonehearts as the remnant of the ancient Hundaei. They carry themselves proudly and tell stories of the days when their ancestors brought terror to even the great Hyperborean Empire. They are scrupulous in adherence to their traditions and customs and consider the other tribes to be degenerate and far too forgetful of the old ways.
The K’Haln venerate their ancestors as exemplars of the ancient traditions, honoring their memory and seeking their advice through holy priestesses who act as oracles. Though chieftains and great warriors are now laid to rest in the Staked Lands, in ancient times the greatest of their leaders were buried in chambers in mounds on The Plains. Anyone desecrating the Staked Lands or a burial mound will be slaughtered on sight without opportunity to explain or atone. In addition to their ancestors, the K’Haln honor the forces of nature and consider the One Tree in the Sea of Grass a place of unique holiness.
The K’Haln roam The Plains in tribal groups of various sizes ranging from a dozen to a hundred or more. Many are connected via marriage, and chieftains will meet when the seasonal ranges of one or more bands brings them together. This often occurs at the Stones of Kashimir, where the ranges of many of the tribes intersect. If there is a need for all of the tribes to gather (to elect a chieftain of chieftains, for example), they gather at the stones. Even when separated by vast distances over the Sea of Grass, the chieftains maintain contact with each other through messages carried by trained plains hawks. As a result, in times of need the K’Haln can act in concert to a remarkably high degree.
The K’Haln are on good terms with their Lundhargo and Mongat neighbors and will travel to the former’s settlements at the times when the markets gather. Others who encounter the K’Haln on the Sea of Grass will usually be attacked for plunder and, if captured, sold to the Lundhargo.
Region
K’Haln Tribes
Type
Geopolitical, Tribe
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